Josons charged; 'Pure harassment', says former guv

PALAYAN CITY – The provincial government of Nueva Ecija, thourgh an acting division head, has charged five members of the influential Joson family of graft before the Office of the Ombudsman over the donation of a number of heavy equipment to various local government units early this year.

In a complaint filed by Dr. Raymund Sarmiento, officer-in-charge of the Public Affairs Monitoring Office (PAMO), the respondents were identified as former Gov. Tomas Joson III, his son and now Vice Gov. Edward Thomas Joson and Quezon town Mayor Eduardo Basilo Joson and former Guimba town Mayor Jose Pocholo Dizon, son-in-law of incumbent 1st district Rep. Eduardo Nonato Joson.

The other respondents were Bongabon Mayor Amelia Gamilla, Board Member Cesar Cucio, former Mayor Marvin Martin of San Leonardo and former provincial board members Bella Aurora Dulay, Jose Bernardo Yango, Cesar Eduardo, Leonardo Garcia and Allan Gamilla.

But Tomas III said the complaint was a plain harassment by the incumbent administration even as he clarified no money is involved in the graft charges.“

Pag sinabi kasing graft, akala ay may nagnakaw. Sa kasong ito, walang kahit isang sentimong sangkot,” Joson said in an interview.Sarmiento sought the preventive suspension of the incumbent officials pending the outcome of the investigation by the anti-graft body.

Vice Gov. Edward was named respondent being a member of the provincial board which approved the Sangguniang Panlalawigan Resolution 37-A which provides for the donation of the heavy equipment to the towns of Quezon, Bongabon, Guimba, San Leonardo and Talugtog.

In the complaint Sarmiento alleged that the respondents violated Section 3.e of RA 3019 when it passed on January 22,2007 the resolution authorizing Tomas III to donate the heavy equipment to the above-mentioned towns.

The complaint claimed that the respondents, in the “malevolent and reprehensible” performance of their official functions conspired with evident bad faith to “seriously prejudice, if not totally paralyze” the then incoming administration of Umali, in the process giving unwarranted benefits to the respondent mayors.

Tomas III said that the donation was part of the government’s program to upgrade the provincial engineering by acquiring more new heavy equipment and donating the old ones to LGUs that lack them. The plan, he said, was hatched as early as 2006.The resolution was apparently approved January 2007. “Noong panahong ‘yon ang alam naming magiging gubernador ay si Boyet (his younger brother Mariano Cristino),” he said.

He said he knew fund sources to finance the procurement of new equipment.Questioning the propriety of charging him for implementing a board resolution, Tomas III also wondered why even the recipients were charged.

Among the heavy equipment donated were seven units of heavy equipment to the municipality of Guimba; six units of heavy equipment, Tomas III’s Ford Expedition and a Nissan Terrano to the town of Bongabon; five units of heavy equipment, the provincial mobile clinic, a Toyota Revo, a Ford F150 and a Nissan Urvan to the town of Quezon. Then followed with six units of heavy equipment to the municipality of San Leonardo consisting of three units of Isuzu 10-wheeler truck, one Mitsubishi Road Grader, one PHH Komatsu Excavator and one Komatsu bulldozer.